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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
Alright, before I tell this story I need to clarify that I was not able to find any arrest information to back this story. I am a skeptic myself, thats why i looked. If anybody has heard this story, or knows where I can find info, please let me know.

So two weeks ago my buddy was heading home after helping with a scout thing and stopped at a 7-11 in the Murry/Sandy area.(He said both cities sent cops.) As he was walking out of the store he passed three younger individuals approx 18. (I forgot to mention that he was still in a military uniform, because he hadn't been home yet.) As he walked past the last one, the kid stuck his hand in the back of his waistband and my buddy saw a weapon. He went to jis jeep and watched to see what was going to happen. The kids split up once in the store and he watched the last one lift his shirt and put his hand on the gun again. At this time he got his gun from the glove box (I know, a horrible place to store it) and locked and loaded. He entered the store calmley and proceded towards the last kid, being sure to not expose his own weapon yet. The kid saw that my buddy had come back in so he quickley attempted to conciel the weapon. My buddy saw the other one come right behind the one right in front of him and reach behind his back. My friend then drew on them, and said that one shot would have lined up with both people at center mass. He ordered them to show their hands and they refused. After an exchange of words, the third one started approaching from the left side. Pointing at the third one, he yelled to stop where he was. The three of them started to taunt him and say that the firearm wasn't loaded. He quickley responded with a "take another step and find out." I should add that the nervous cashier had pressed the button repetedly that was supposidly under the counter. My friend moved them, at gun point, over to the large windows in the front of the store and waited for police to arrive which was about two minutes. The cops then came in and cuffed the individuals and told my friend to lower his weapon and hand it to the police officer outside. He then handed his valid concieled permit and weapon to the officer and moved over to the side. He then heard the cops inside, while patting down the three kids, say "gun" repetedly. All three had handguns and all three were 18 years old. They were driving through from California and stopped. All three were arrested for illegal posession of a firearm and that was the end of the story.

I know it sounds a little sketchy, and not backed up, but it makes for some good reading. Like I said before, if anybody knows where i can find a police report or something to back it up, please let me know.
 

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It's always good to read a story that ends well.

One question though, can you really do what your buddy did and not get in trouble? I mean, aren't you suppose to only draw and use your weapon in the event that (in this case) someone was to commit a felony of armed robbery? In other words, can you get in trouble for prematurely drawing a weapon especially say if the kids were NOT carrying any weapons and were only acting weird?
 

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yung1s said:
It's always good to read a story that ends well.

One question though, can you really do what your buddy did and not get in trouble? I mean, aren't you suppose to only draw and use your weapon in the event that (in this case) someone was to commit a felony of armed robbery? In other words, can you get in trouble for prematurely drawing a weapon especially say if the kids were NOT carrying any weapons and were only acting weird?
Yes, you are mostly correct in that assumption. As I understand it, you may use your weapon in defense of life and aggravated assaults (including rape). But the caveat here is that the crime doesn't ACTUALLY need to be in progress (again, as I understand it). If you fear for your safety or the safety of others you are justified in drawing down. But here's the OTHER caveat: BE PREPARED TO DEFEND YOUR ACTIONS ACCORDING TO THE "REASONABLE" PERSON STANDARD. If you can't, you will end up in front of a judge to try again. If you still can't, you're going to go away for a while.

Someone please correct me if I'm mistaken since I realize I didn't take the time to read and cite the applicable laws.
 

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Let me preface this with 'I'm only going off what was said by the OP'; based solely on what he said his friends actions were.
From a legal stand point, I'm not sure what the friend did was Illegal. Meaning, he made an observation, and based on that, he made some assumptions, and then took some sort of action. Perhaps not the best action, but not Illegal.

Just some things to consider:
1 - Even most cops will call other cops before approaching something that appears to be a robbery starting to go down (specially an Armed robbery)

2 - Some of the worst looking Dirt-Sticks can be undercover cops. Some look like crap, and drive crappy cars with out of state plates. My point (based on what was said, I wasn't there), be careful taking action Too quickly, This could have been a few undercover cops adjusting there guns. (funny thing about cops new to UC work, they always like to check to make sure the guns still there.... )

3 - (I imagine this wont sit well with others, but oh well, JMHO) Speaking as if I was Not an LEO, If my family and/or friends are Not in that store, I'll simply be the best Witness I can be. There's Not a chance in **** I'm dying for a 7-11 clerk! Now as a cop, I might act differently... But, thats because I get paid lots of money being a cop 24X7. (that last part was a joke, btw). But even so, I still wouldn't confront 3 armed people alone.
 

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Discussion Starter · #6 ·
I TOLD HIM THAT I THOUGHT HE ACTED A LITTLE TOO SOON, BUT HE SAID THAT HE HAD THE GUT FEELING. HE ALSO SAID THAT THE THREE KIDS LOOKED VERY YOUNG. TURNS OUT THEY WERE 18 THOUGH. THE LEO'S SAID THAT THERE WAS NO DOUBT IN THEIR MIND THAT THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A ROBERY AND THE CLERK MIGHT HAVE BEEN INJURED. ALL THREE WEAPONS HAD ONE IN THE CHAMBER TOO.
 
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Thats the time to sit back and be a witness, I may have intervened for the clerk if it came right down to it but I am not holding armed people at gunpoint leaving a store.

Wait they where 18 and form California with all California's laws how did that happen? This story must be bunk.
 

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hedonistic said:
Thats the time to sit back and be a witness, I may have intervened for the clerk if it came right down to it but I am not holding armed people at gunpoint leaving a store.
For once I agree with hedonistic. LOL. :dancing:
 
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PW said:
hedonistic said:
Thats the time to sit back and be a witness, I may have intervened for the clerk if it came right down to it but I am not holding armed people at gunpoint leaving a store.
For once I agree with hedonistic. LOL. :dancing:
P.S.

That intervention would come be in the form of distance with what I keep in the trunk.

Handguns are never the first choice and, distance against gang bangers most likely with crappy pocket pistols and little or no training is a good thing. Same applies locals with AKs who dont know the selector has two positions :gun1:
 

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Very dangerous situation. Personally, I think it's based on "Bovine Scatology". First thing your buddy should have done was call 911. A single LEO attempting to stop 3 possible "gang bangers" would have been a streach. The average citizen attempting it is simply insane.

We have to remember that as citizens, we're not law enforcement officers. Our RIGHT to carry isn't a license to go out and "play cop". We don't need "Mall Ninjas" giving law abiding citizens a bad name.

gf
 

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glock fan said:
Very dangerous situation. Personally, I think it's based on "Bovine Scatology". First thing your buddy should have done was call 911. A single LEO attempting to stop 3 possible "gang bangers" would have been a streach. The average citizen attempting it is simply insane.
+1

Although I know some average citizens who I think would be far more effective than the average LEO, the fact is that it's stupid no matter who you are.

The right thing to do is clearly to get some distance and call 911. If it were possible to get some distance and some decent cover while calling but still keep an overwatch position to protect the clerk, AND to do it without being observed by the BGs, I might go that far. If I did, though, there would be no shouted warnings or anything like that. I'd announce my presence by shooting, attempting to make the odds two on one before they even knew I was there, and hoping like **** that the other two would choose to run. And, obviously, I'd only shoot if I felt it was necessary to save the life of the clerk. Most likely, though, there's not going to be enough room or any cover in any position where visibility of the clerk can be maintained.
 
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